


The Devil and The Huntsman

by mvg_writes (viridis2020)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, College AU, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Drug Use, F/F, Horror, Modern gothic, Mystery, Pining, Sexual Content, Stalking, Thriller, alcohol use, pray for your favorites, protective byleth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:07:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29983311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viridis2020/pseuds/mvg_writes
Summary: At Fodlan U, a peaceful university known for it's academic prestige and it's lively, bright students. Edelgard von Hresvelg is an accomplished, popular student representative; both respected and distant. But in her sophomore year, students start dropping like flies and some strange messages begin appearing in the dorms. And for some reason, all of these events seem connected to Edelgard. As she falls under suspicion and further danger, a mysterious stranger comes to her aid. But will that be enough to keep her alive?
Relationships: Catherine/Shamir Nevrand, Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Ingrid Brandl Galatea/Mercedes von Martritz, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril, Sylvain Jose Gautier/Claude von Riegan
Kudos: 14





	1. A Hunter's Moon

_Men need a man would die as soon_  
_Out of the light of a mage's moon_  
_But it's not by bone, but yet by blade_  
_Can break the magic that the devil made_

_And it's not my fire, but was forged in flame_  
_Can drown the sorrows of a huntsman's pain_

_**The Devil & The Huntsman - Sam Lee** _

The night sky was overcast, adding undertones of purple to the darkness. The streetlights were on, but a few of them had begun to flicker, spray paint and graffiti all over the base. It wasn’t a good area, so keeping its fixtures in peak condition wasn’t a priority.

The poor lighting cast strange shadows on the walls in the alley, demonic cats and twisted children’s bodies. Water dripped down slowly from the gutters, forming a filthy puddle in a haphazard pile of greasy discarded cardboard boxes. The remains of cheese and pasta sauce on some of them had fermented into a stomach turning goo with a matching scent.

It proved a tempting abode for the local rats, skittering back and forth between the dark corners and the light. One of them was particularly curious. And hungry. He scurried over to a strange white thing peeking out from under some trash bags and boxes. He nibbled on the flesh of her fingertip, and she did not stir. Her vacant cloudy eyes stared out unblinkingly, and her mouth was open, the lips turned waxy without blood flowing through them.

She could have been there forever if not for the newspaper stand attendant who had the misfortune of discovering her the next morning. Sirens came wailing down the road, and the area was swarmed by crime scene techs in white suits with blue booties and solemn detectives murmuring to each other and scribbling down notes. One of them beckoned his colleague over to show him something. He pointed to her t-shirt.

Fódlan University.

The student center was packed and Edelgard struggled to find a quiet enough spot for her to study. Her light brown hair was tied back with a purple ribbon as she leaned over her Macbook. Space gray of course. As she pulled her noise cancelling earbuds out of her bag, she heard something that caught her attention.

“That girl they found dead in the alley. Did you guys know it was Monica?”

“Monica? No way.”

“I don’t know. I heard it was really nasty too, but the police are trying to keep it quiet so people don’t freak.”

“Was it an overdose or something?”

“I don’t know, but she was supposed to be in really bad shape when they got to her.”

Edelgard turned her head to see who was talking. She remembered Monica. She’d been in a few of her econ classes before, and she’d seemed nice enough. Dead in an alley? What a horrible way to end up.

She tried to shake the morbid thoughts rolling through her mind away, but they’d wormed their way in. She shut her laptop. She’d have to resume her homework later.

As usual, she showed up around 7 to eat dinner at the campus restaurant with her two best friends, Dorothea Arnault and Petra Macneary. She ordered the tuna, Dorothea chose her usual salad, and Petra asked for the stew of the week. They chewed their food, students and the game on the TV droning on in the background. Dorothea put down her fork after she finished her mouthful.

“Did you guys hear about what happened yesterday? The girl who died?” 

Edelgard and Petra nodded. The worry was plain in Dorothea’s normally radiant eyes. “People are saying she was murdered.”

 _Murdered_. Edelgard hadn’t thought too deeply about the cause, she’d zeroed in on the memory of Monica’s face. She supposed that she wanted to think it was accidental.

“I wouldn’t jump to conclusions, Dorothea. We should wait to see what the police say,” Edelgard said, bringing a piece of fish to her mouth.

“I am thinking Edelgard is right. We should not worry ourselves just yet,” Petra agreed in her Brigid lilt.

Dorothea looked down at her food, poking at the cranberries and spreading the vinaigrette across them.

“I know, I know. But I can’t get it out of my head. It’s just a weird thought, to have someone as normal as Monica just up and die out of nowhere.”

“It’s weird for me too. But I don’t want you scaring yourself if there’s nothing to worry about.” Edelgard put a hand on Dorothea’s shoulder.

Dorothea nodded and took a deep breath. “Thanks, Edie. Maybe I am getting myself into a tizzy.” She flashed a smile, but the concern still hid in her eyes as she returned to her meal.

The topic changed quickly after that, from the intrigue surrounding Monica’s unfortunate end to Petra’s upcoming match. She was the star fencer for the University team, and they were going up against their rival school from Almyra. Petra was training hard as always and Dorothea hyped her up. There was no way any yuppie from Almyra could hold a candle to her, and if she won, Dorothea promised to hold an extra special, extra fun party for her. As the VP of the Kappa Deltas, she was a legend when it came to event planning.

The fear soon dissolved entirely and vanished into the air as anticipation took its place. Edelgard laughed with them and lost herself in the chatter of the evening.

At around 8:15, she excused herself. “Sorry guys, I have to finish my econ assignment. It’s due in two days.” Dorothea teasingly protested, pouting and batting her eyelashes. Edelgard waved her off dismissively, smiling as she left.

The cool air of a September evening brushed against her face. The garden lights beamed white against the trees on the green, and the brick path looked more purple than red. Now, with the whispers of the night around her, a thought did cross her mind. _Maybe_.

He shivered, a smile cutting wide across his face. He was jittery with excitement after choking the life out of that girl, and now that he saw the tizzy in the news he was completely wired. Monica. He hadn’t even learned her name. He didn’t care all that much. She was just a practice round. There was so much more to do.


	2. Don't Shoot the Messenger

_If it's a false alarm, then forget what I said_  
_If the snake won't bite, then I take it all back_  
_If there's wine in that bottle, then bring me a glass_

**C++ (Love Will Get You Killed) – Every Time I Die**

Dean Rhea heard a knock at the door and stopped typing.

“Rhea, it’s Catherine.”

A dear friend from her days as a grad student, she and Catherine still enjoyed the occasional dinner party. But the tone of voice was serious, rather than the signature brash playfulness that Catherine always oozed. She inhaled deeply. Regrettably, this wasn’t a social call.

“Come in.”

The captain walked through the door, carrying her coat on her arm as she sat down in the chair across from Rhea. The dean knotted her fingers together and examined her friend’s face. Her blue eyes had deep circles beneath them, and she looked tense.

“Catherine, what’s wrong?”

Catherine swallowed and hesitated before meeting Rhea’s eyes again. Her fists were clenched on her lap. “Monica, the student who was found a few days ago? She was murdered. We’re certain now.”

Rhea felt as though she’d been punched in the gut. The death of a student was tragic enough, but to know that someone had snuffed the light out of her intentionally…That was something she’d hoped would never reach this university.

“I wanted to make sure I was the one you heard it from first.” Catherine’s voice was earnest as always. She could never lie to Rhea.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Rhea didn’t feel like the words came out of her mouth, even though she could feel her lips moving. _Odd_. The taste of iron settled on her tongue. Now for maybe the most unpleasant task of her career.

The email went out at noon on Thursday. A war of furious whispers swept the campus and it was swiftly followed by a press release from the local police department in an attempt to quell the furor. It promised (in the most official phrasing possible) that there was no reason to believe anything other than that the death of Monica Ochs was perpetrated by a single individual. The murder did not line up with any previous ones in the city’s history, and there was no evidence to indicate that Monica had been targeted intentionally. It was a tragic event and the department was working at maximum capacity to locate her killer.

Signed, _Capt. Catherine_ _Charon_.

The burly captain leaned back, cracking her spine against the chair and raising her arms high over her head until her shoulders loosened. Calming a campus of 10,052 students wasn’t an easy task, especially when it involved a death. She didn’t envy Rhea in the slightest.

Then, there was that dark thought that crossed the captain’s mind. _It was 10,051 now, wasn’t it?_

Edelgard walked slower than usual, taking in all the extra hubbub. The Ionius Business Center was alive and buzzing with sound and nervous energy. For once, even the people who were never in on anything were right at the forefront of campus gossip. Terror was its own equalizer. She kept her own opinions far from her clinical observations.

She let her eyes run over the crowded halls as if it was her kingdom, and all therein were her business and her business alone. With the captain’s letter in mind, she had to wonder: was this a singular ripple, or the first domino of something worse? Again, the voice of Professor Hanneman popped into her head. _Reason first. It is the defining feature of mankind and the rational being._ Fear and suspicion could not rule her. She was a Hresvelg, bred differently. And as Edelgard, foremost among them, she was a paragon. To lead was to be above common fears and sentiments.

It was only in the quiet hours of the night that she could allow the softer parts of herself to surface. Last night she’d wished Monica’s soul a gentle journey to peace. She wasn’t religious, but the dead deserved their respect. But this morning, she considered herself purged. She would be scared when she had reason to be, no sooner.

After BUSI 189, Edelgard was released into the halls once again. She left the Ionius Building at her own methodical pace, the light of the midday sky nearly blinding her. When the black spots in front of her eyes started to dissipate, she saw someone waving.

Dorothea had been chatting with Mercedes and they kept up the conversation as they waited for Edelgard to join them. The two of them were old church friends, from before Dorothea reached her breaking point with organized religion. Edelgard didn’t just dislike the church, she _hated_ it. A token from her dear uncle. But it was nearly impossible not to like someone as sweet as Mercedes, let alone hate her. Those inviting blue eyes of hers nearly disappeared into the soft flesh of her face as she smiled.

“Hi, Edelgard,” she said in that enthusiastic, airy voice of hers. “How are you today?”

Edelgard’s smile was minimalist, but genuine. “I’m quite well, Mercedes. Yourself?”

“I’m ok. I just feel so awful. Poor Monica,” she dropped her gaze and raised a concerned, curled hand next to her head. It was a light, airy gesture, just like every other thing about her. “I can’t imagine how her friends and parents must feel.”

Dorothea placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. “I know, Mercie dear. Maybe you should pray for them?”

Mercedes lifted her head, the light flooding back into her eyes. They almost sparkled with positivity. “Of course! It totally slipped my mind. Thank you, Dorothea!”

Edelgard felt her heart lighten despite herself. _She’s…very endearing_.

Dorothea pulled Mercedes into a hug, which the older student eagerly returned. There was a reason the songstress called her a ‘love sponge’. “Just be careful for now, ok?”

“Of course, Dorothea. Stay safe. I’ll bring you some cakes tomorrow.”

 _Goddess_ , Edelgard chuckled to herself. If the kindness wasn’t so genuine, she’d probably punch herself in the face to free herself from the saccharine conversation.

“Mercedes,” the heiress began, addressing her while she was still wrapped in Dorothea’s embrace. “You need to take care of yourself as well. If you need anything, let me know and I’ll handle it.” By herself, she meant her family’s particularly expansive connections. If there was anything her friends needed, she could procure it without issue. It was one of the many perks of inheriting the Hresvelg empire.

Mercedes flashed that refreshing, untainted smile of hers. “Of course, Edie. You’re too sweet!”

Sweet was not a word Edelgard would choose to describe herself, but a compliment was a compliment.

She nodded. “Don’t mention it.” _Please, don’t._ The brunette was practically allergic to any form of verbal affection.

Mercedes hummed her assent. _Goddess_. _Was she even a real person?_

“Dorothea, Mercedes,” Edelgard returned to her signature formality. “It was nice seeing you, but I have to go.”

Dorothea waved her off cheerfully, and she could feel Mercedes’ smile on her back. Those two were almost nauseating, but she was just human enough to be okay with it. Though some of her colleagues would beg to differ.

Edelgard hurried across the paved path through the courtyard, the briskness of her pace nearly waking a student who’d fallen asleep under one of the oak trees. Her eyes fluttered slightly, but it took more than high heels on brick to rouse her. Her blue hair rustled in the wind, and her head remained gently resting on her defined biceps.

Edelgard disappeared into the tunnel through the student center, off to wherever her next obligation took her.


	3. Window to the Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorothea begins planning her promised celebration and a new friend is introduced to the mix.

_First impressions are hard to erase_  
_Etched in my mind and it just won't go away_  
_Maybe I'm playing my cards way too safe_  
_I've gotta change, change, change, change_

**_Gorgeous Nightmare – Escape the Fate_ **

It was the final match of the day, and it was Petra versus Julian Riegan, Claude’s second cousin. The two players walked towards each other and shook hands before returning to their sides of the piste. For this round, both players were equipped with sabres.

The wires and lights on the suits had been checked, and everything was set. The two fencers got into position and waited for the sound to start.

Petra was unrecognizable behind the mask of her fencing suit, but her form was impossible to mistake. Her footwork was lightning fast and she could bob and weave better than anyone on the team. The only one who was on her level was Felix, the co-captain. He had her on strength, they were equal on speed, but she had him on flexibility.

Julian lunged, and she shifted her torso to the left, hopping deftly to the side and landing her sabre firmly in the middle of his torso. His suit lit up and the buzzer sounded to signal the first point.

Dorothea stood up, clapping loudly. “You go, Petra! Kill em’ dead!”

“Hell yeah, that’s it baby!” Caspar howled.

Claude shrugged his shoulders and took another sip of his flask, whispering something into his Aunt Judith’s ear. She smirked and nudged him gently with her elbow. Even though she was related to Julian, as coach of the Fódlan team, she was rooting for her protegee.

Julian swung aggressively, and Petra barely caught his sword with hers. He batted hers aside and made a desperate jab at her shoulder, which landed. The buzzer sounded again. One point for Almyra.

While the crowd groaned in disappointment, Judith’s smug face didn’t change. She had confidence in her team, especially when it came to the joint captains.

Her pride was warranted as Petra seized another point as soon as they reset. For playoff games they played to five, so all Petra needed to do was wait for Julian to get frantic and start making stupid mistakes. They hadn’t been matched before, but she knew what made players like him tick.

Petra didn’t smile as she readied her sword for the fourth point. Fencing for her was deadly serious: the laughs and glory could wait till after her opponent was finished. She gazed deeply into the part of his mask where his eyes were. She couldn’t see them through the mesh, but one of the odd things about human beings was that they always knew when they were being watched.

She saw his shoulder jerk and shifted her right leg backward, and brought her left one forward to shift herself into a painfully low lunge. Edelgard winced as she felt her hamstrings and quads twinge in sympathy. Julian pointed the tip of his sabre down towards her collarbone, and as he did so Petra’s right arm brushed against his to press the tip of her sabre to his sternum.

The buzzer sounded again and the rest of the Fódlan fencing started hooting and clapping. Whether or not he got the last point didn’t matter, the match was theirs.

But Petra didn’t leave a job half finished. She quickly followed with a straight jab at his heart not a beat after the fifth round reset buzzer, securing the win for the home team yet again.

Edelgard jumped up, clapping alongside her friends, eyes glowing with pride. Leave it to Macneary to give a good show every time.

As she was caught up in the hive energy of their victory, she felt the back of her neck tense and the sensation of a spider crawling down the back of her spine.

There was someone watching her. She shook her head and tried to ignore it, but the sensation of someone boring into the back of her head was too much. She turned slowly over her shoulder, keeping a straight face as she scoured the stands. Whoever it was had averted their gaze and blended back into the mass of screaming college students.

She turned back around and blinked a few times to shake it off, putting on the same smile as everyone else around her. _You’re just imagining things, El. Ignore it._

Stuff it down, swallow it, and pretend it was never there.

He smiled, studying the angle of her ponytail and the perfect smoothness of her hair. The whiteness of her neck. The tease of her spine just as it disappeared below the collar of her shirt.

_You are the paragon of beauty, dearest. It’s unfortunate that you choose to spend your time with such riffraff._

Petra took off her helmet and shook out her long, signature braid. As she walked off the piste, she was immediately crowded by her teammates, slapping her on the shoulders and back. Leonie pinched her cheek lovingly and Felix rolled his eyes.

“You did good, I guess,” he muttered.

“Thank you, Felix. I will be improving even more.” Petra spoke proudly, in spite of his characteristic bitterness.

Dorothea rushed off the bleachers, Edelgard in tow. Rather than coming with, Sylvain stayed behind to flirt with Hilda Goneril. There was nothing to complain about. The two of them deserved each other.

Dorothea grabbed Petra’s right shoulder. “That was absolutely amazing, my darling Petra. How do you feel?”

“I am good. It was a clean match.”

“Indeed, it was,” Edelgard nodded, arms crossed casually across her chest. “You did an excellent job today, Petra.”

Dorothea leaned in further, resting her chin on top of her hands, smiling wide. “Well, I can safely say you’ve earned yourself a spectacular party. A bacchanal even!”

Edelgard chuckled. “I don’t think we could afford enough wine for that.”

“Oh hush, Edie.” Dorothea waved a hand dismissively. “I’ll make it work! I always do.”

“Mhmm,” she murmured teasingly.

“Aha! Don’t be rude!” The older brunette retorted, feigning outrage. “It’s going to be this Friday, and you are going to eat your words, dearest.”

“Maybe. You better give it your best, or I’ll be sorely disappointed.”

Dorothea clutched her heart and gasped. “You wound me. Have I ever served anything less?”

Concerned, Petra patted Dorothea on the back. “Do not worry, Dorothea. Your parties are always wonderful.”

Dorothea poked her finger into the bow tied around the collar of Edelgard’s button-up. “See, at least Petra loves me.”

“As do I, but someone needs to have reasonable expectations.” The heiress straightened the bow and drew herself up taller.

Dorothea gasped, and started talking in that grand, theatrical way of hers. She flipped her hair and grabbed onto Edelgard’s upper arm, chattering excitedly. The three of them walked out, shoulder to shoulder.

The stands were emptying out as quickly as they could, but one of the spectators lingered for a moment. He waited until that light brown ponytail stopped catching the light and vanished out the door before daring to move again.

*

Dorothea and Sylvain sat across from each other on her tasteful maroon bedspread. She was furiously typing away on a Google doc while he lounged, legs stretched out, back of his head resting on his arms.

She cleared her throat. “Ok, so far we have Mercie, Ingrid, Hilda, Marianne, Ferdie, Bernie, Caspar, Petra, Felix, Annie, Raphael, Lorenz. Who else should we add?”

“I asked Hubert, but he said he wasn’t a big fan of parties.”

“Makes sense, honestly it might be better that way. With the other guys coming the gender ratio is kinda skewed.”

Dorothea tapped her forefinger against her chin. _What to do, what to do.._. She looked up and smirked at Sylvain.

“As the morally reprehensible defiler of local beauties, what other eligible ladies would you suggest?” Her was voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Well, if you must know, I know one fair maiden in particular who’ll be a perfect fit,” Sylvain tossed his hair and grinned.

“Do tell.” She popped a piece of popcorn in her mouth, expression doubtful.

“Her name is Byleth Eisner. She’s my spot buddy at the gym. Average height, buff for a girl, blue eyes, teal hair, pretty face but not very expressive. Strong silent type, you know the deal.”

“Does she go here?”

“Yep, wildlife bio major. If one of the girls at the party doesn’t fall for her on sight, I owe you $100 and free dinner for a month.”

“Confident, I see. I hope you’re ready dear because I have very expensive taste.” Dorothea’s eyes glittered at the prospect of not only the money and food, but the gloating rights.

“Let’s social media stalk her real quick. You’ll see I’m right.”

“Fine.”

Dorothea opened up Chrome and began her search.

No Facebook. Twitter was set up, but no posts except for a retweet of an announcement from the Department of Fish and Game. Sylvain logged into his Instagram account on Dorothea’s computer and found her profile. After a few months of being gym buddies, he’d insisted she follow his profile.

Dorothea scrolled on her keypad with one perfectly manicured finger. _Not_ _bad_.

She was exactly as he described, and her profile had a very interesting vibe. Lots of photos of her fishing, almost a strange amount, but there were also plenty normal ones. Beach, girls night out, some cute dog pics, the whole show.

Dorothea looked intently at the face on the screen, peering into those flat blue eyes. She was just the thing.

“Alright, she’s definitely a go.”

Sylvain opened his mouth to gloat but she quickly pressed a finger to his lips. “Uh-uh. Until I see her in action, don’t you even start.”

He laughed. “Fine, fine, I’ll be quiet. But you’re gonna eat your words—”

Dorothea raised an eyebrow and tilted her head dangerously in his direction.

“Oookay, I’m done, let me just text her and ask.”

Byleth was poring over the report on water acidity and its impact on local fauna for lecture on Thursday when her phone went off on edge of her desk. It buzzed right off the side and she narrowly caught it before it hit the floor.

She flipped up the screen. It was a text from Sylvain. Surely, he didn’t want to go to the gym at this hour.

_Hey Wonderful, I have a proposition. My friends and I are having a party to celebrate the fencing team win and it’d be awesome if you could come._

Byleth frowned. He was never going to stop calling her that apparently. The phone buzzed again.

_Relax, Wonderful. I know what team you play for. I’m inviting you strictly as a friend. My friend Dorothea is hosting and her parties are legendary. Please come. I promise you won’t regret it._

Come to think of it, she hadn’t gone to a party in a long time. Senior year was rough. She sighed and started typing.

_I’ll be there._

Sylvain shoved his phone right in Dorothea’s face. Affronted by the challenge to her personal space, she recoiled.

“Challenge accepted!” He smirked and set his chin on his hand, smiling that roguish, playboy smile.

Dorothea exhaled through her nose. _Why didn’t I just leave him in the drunk tank?_


	4. First Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorothea lives up to her reputation and Edelgard meets her match.
> 
> cw: drugs, alcohol

_Under a spell you're hypnotized_   
_Darling how could you be so blind?_

_I wanna grab both your shoulders and shake baby_   
_Snap out of it (snap out of it)_   
  


_**Snap Out of It – Arctic Monkeys** _

Dorothea spun around in front of Edelgard for the sixth time, testing out another outfit. Edelgard sat at the end of her friend’s bed, eyes running up and down the length of the dress and the body wearing it.

“Well, what do you think?”

It was a sleeveless black dress that ended midway between her knee and thigh, with a neckline that did more than plunge.

Edelgard raised an eyebrow and tilted her head for a better angle. “It’s certainly _daring_ …”

She became flustered at the look of maternal disappointment on Dorothea’s face. “Oh, I’m sorry for my tone. I didn’t mean to imply – “

Dorothea smiled and poked her on the nose. “You’re absolutely judging me and it’s ok because I love you. Now will you _please_ tell me how it compares to the other ones?”

Edelgard coughed into her hand, composing herself. “I think that’s a little dressy for this party. Might I suggest the long sleeve crop top and the leggings?”

Dorothea’s eyes sparkled at the idea. “That’s perfect!”

She furiously rustled around in her closet, throwing things left and right. Edelgard barely dodged a shoe before it nailed her in the eye. When she finally found it, she hummed happily and laid it out on the bed so it didn’t wrinkle. She leaned back until her head was practically resting on Edelgard’s knees.

“And what about you? What are you wearing?”

“I think you should buy me dinner first.”

Dorothea popped upright and teasingly punched her friend’s shoulder. “Oh hush, you know what I mean.”

Edelgard shrugged. “I didn’t put much thought into it.”

Dorothea’s eyes glittered. “Well, in that case, I think it’s my duty as your oldest, loyalest and most fashion forward friend to help you pick.”

Edelgard smiled, but died a little inside. This was going to turn into a mess and she knew it.

Edelgard was wearing a pirate blouse, leather pants and three inch black heels. Dorothea wolf whistled and her shorter friend seriously contemplated murder.

“Alright, now we just need to add the finishing touch.”

_What on Goddess’ green earth is it now?_

She looked around on top of her dresser for a moment before hastily snatching something up. Turning around, she proudly dangled a thin black ribbon choker.

“I am _not_ wearing that.”

“You can and you will. Just look at it in the mirror.”

Dorothea pushed Edelgard towards the standing mirror and swiftly clasped it to the heiress’ pale neck. Her eyebrows rose. She liked the way it added a hint of authority and presence. It matched her well.

“I like it.”

“Told you. Now for the finishing touches.” 

After an hour and a great deal of suffering on Edelgard’s part, they were both dressed and Dorothea had finished doing both of their makeup.

“You look amazing, Edie.”

“Thank you, Dorothea.”

“It was my pleasure. Remember, party starts at 9 but be there at 10,” Dorothea grinned. “I have to go help the boys set up, but if you’re not there by ten thirty I’ll make sure you get an escort.”

Edelgard sighed in defeat, then offered a bemused smile. “Of course. See you then.”

She walked outside into the cool air and let her shoulders relax. All she had to do was not get too drunk and everything would be fine.

The guests started to pour in around 10:15, Edelgard caught in the middle of the swarm. Dorothea and Hilda eagerly greeted everyone who walked in the door, gently reminding them that the party was possible all due to the generosity of the Kappa Delta sorority.

Suddenly, Sylvain elbowed Dorothea, jerking his thumb towards the bathroom. She saw a telltale bob cut disappear along with two girls, one of them easily recognizable by her long white hair. Of course something had to go wrong straight out of the gate.

“Son of a bitch.”

Dorothea walked swiftly towards the door and hammered on it aggressively until it swung open. Lorenz was standing up against the shower curtain, waving a little clear baggy filled with white powder at her little, Lysithea, and an unknown from the Golden Deer dorm.

She inhaled deeply and narrowed her eyes, bristling like an angry dog. “Lorenz, I don’t care what you do in your own house but don’t you _ever_ bring that shit in here. And especially don’t offer it to any of my girls.” She didn’t take her eyes off Lorenz as she spoke again. “Lysithea, go find Hilda before we need to write you up.”

The new sorority sister was out of the room like a bolt of lightning. Lorenz smirked, his gaze offensively patronizing. “Dorothea, you need to lighten up. I don’t expect a common person like you to understand, but there’s no harm in –”

“GET. OUT.” She practically growled, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Lorenz stood up, puffed out his chest and advanced on Dorothea, backing her out of the bathroom and into the hall. He remained smug, reveling in being able to get his own way anywhere. And then that triumphant look melted right off his face.

“You will be leaving now.”

Petra had appeared behind Dorothea, toned arms crossed over her chest and eyes hard. Dorothea he could handle, but he knew Petra would kick his ass across two counties if he tried anything. She gently shifted Dorothea to the side and stared him down.

“ _Now_ , please.”

Lorenz lifted his hands in surrender, his smile shifted into a thin line.

“Fine, fine, I’m gone.”

He walked around Petra, fluffing his hair to ensure it wasn’t out of place. “Psychos,” he whispered under his breath.

Petra and Dorothea watched on as Ferdinand and Sylvain ensured he made it all the way to and out the door. Once he was gone, the fencer turned to face her friend. Dorothea’s forehead was wrinkled and she had shrunk a little bit from her former pep. None of the other partygoers seemed to have noticed, but she was put out all the same. Those rich kids had a special way of getting to her.

Petra looked down at Dorothea and blinked a few times, a telltale sign that the cogs in her brain were whirring.

“I will be returning momentarily,” Petra chirped, her long ponytail bobbing away into the crowded living room.

She didn’t exaggerate about her speed. Within two minutes she was back with two very full solo cups in hand.

Her tan face was empathetic and gentle with concern as she handed the brunette a cup. “Let us continue with the festivities. I don’t want you to be upset at your own party.”

Dorothea warmed and took the cup in both hands. “Thank you. You’re a gem, Petra.”

Petra’s eyes closed happily and she patted Dorothea on the shoulder. She then offered her elbow, flashing a bright white smile.

“Let us return to our friends.”

Dorothea’s green eyes sparkled and she eagerly wrapped both arms around Petra’s forearm. “You’re a prince, Petra. Take me away!”

 _A prince? But I am not --?_ Petra ignored her confusion and escorted her into the packed crowd.

With the disturbance removed, all hell broke loose. Ferdinand had his head cocked back trying not to choke on the constant stream of ale Raphael was pouring into the beer bong. Meanwhile, Lindhart was explaining the art of joint rolling to a mesmerized Petra. You couldn’t get pot in Brigid.

Across the room, Marianne, Hilda, Felix, and Annette were playing Sink it Or Drink It. The metal shot glass floating in the middle was dangerously full. Annette had her chin resting on the table, eyes glinting as she stared deeply into the drink. Someone was going to chug it, and it wasn’t going to be her. Felix kept a straight face, eyes focusing on the pourer like a cat at wounded prey.

Marianne was hanging onto Hilda’s shoulder for dear life, sighing heavily as she lifted the bottle of vodka to pour…And it sank right to the bottom.

The light went out of her eyes and she dropped her head in defeat. Hilda shrugged.

“Sorry, Mari, but you gotta drink it.”

“Oooookay.”

Still keeping her left hand Hilda’s shoulder for support, Marianne tipped back the glass and poured it down the hatch, rivulets of sticky liquor and soda dripping down her chin. With a gasp, she thunked the glass on the table and wiped her face.

“Wow. That is going to hurt in the morning, girl.”

Marianne looked up at her like a kicked puppy. Hilda rolled her eyes, then waved a hand dismissively.

“Okay, okay, I’ll bring you some aspirin and stuff.”

“Thanks—”

Marianne stumbled forward, Hilda barely catching her on the way down. Her axe throwing hobby ended up paying off. She pulled Marianne upright and draped one of her limp arms over her shoulder.

“Alrighty then, out we go. Just gonna get you to bed and then I can come right back. Easy peasy!”

“Oooooh-kay…”

Dorothea was rip roaring drunk by 11:30. At one point she told Ferdinand to shove it in a voice that sounded more like a blacksmith with a tobacco problem than an acclaimed singer, punctuated by curses that she could only have learned from Manuela. He got the message and inched back to his frat brothers.

She recovered with remarkable speed and was back to her chipper self as soon as he was on the other side of the room. She watched Annette pass by and grabbed her by the sleeve.

“Annie, where are Mercedes and Ingrid? I haven’t seen them in a while.”

“Oh, Mercie dragged her into a side room. I’m just happy someone finally made a move.”

“Thank fuck. Cheers!”

She toasted with her first glass of Chardonnay that followed after three cups of punch and two tequila shots. A significant amount splashed on the floor and Annette was thankful she hadn’t chosen a more expensive pair of slippers.

Petra had disappeared with Lindhart about forty minutes earlier and came back aggressively coughing, a puff of smoke billowing out of the room behind them. Lindhart was calm and uninterested as always, while Petra’s eyes were tearing from hacking up her lungs.

“Lindhart, my body is not enjoying this,” she rasped.

“You’ll get used to it. When it kicks in, you’ll be fine.”

Meanwhile, Ferdinand grabbed onto Raphael’s shirt, dramatically mournful. “Where’s Caspar? It’s not right, all of us brothers should be together!”

“He had to cancel last minute, remember?”

“Whyyyy?”

“Dunno. Let’s party in his honor instead.”

Ferdinand’s mood recovered quickly and he grabbed another beer off the table. “Hell yeah!”

The sophomore business major enjoyed a good cocktail party, but drunken raucousness was not her speed. She stared in disdain as Ferdinand tripped and nearly shattered the glass coffee table _. Such dignity from such a “refined gem” of society_ , she mused bitterly. Sadly, he wouldn’t remember it and she couldn’t enjoy the fun of rubbing it in his face.

“Hiii, Edie~”

Edelgard did _not_ like the tone of Dorothea’s voice. That amount of slurring never boded well. Her knuckles turned white around her vodka tonic.

“We invited some cute upperclassmen for you, you should go talk to them.” She leaned deeply into Edelgard’s personal space, winking. “They’re all hot, I double checked.”

 _Seiros_. Edelgard summoned up all her will to restrain her response. “Dorothea, you are impossible—”

Dorothea seized the back of the neck and pushed her face up against Edelgard’s. Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline as those green eyes glowed with a menacing presence.

“ _You are going to have fun whether you like it or not_ ,” she hissed, “ _If you hide in the corner the whole night like you did last time, I will personally beat you to death with my stilettos._ ”

Edelgard blinked in shock. She hadn’t been on the receiving end of Dorothea’s spicier side before. It was usually reserved for pompous upper class students. The singer’s strong grip held the back of her neck tightly, then her voice immediately switched back to its usual tone like nothing had happened.

“Now, go make nice. Make bad choices, I love you!” She planted a wet kiss on Edelgard’s cheek, let go of her grip and shooed her away.

Dorothea’s speech could be quite indistinguishable when she drank, but she rang loud and clear this time. Edelgard wasn’t afraid of much, but the menacing undertones of Dorothea’s insistence on fun made her much less willing to test her. Dorothea _did_ mention the street fights she got into before Manuela adopted her…

Dorothea’s fingers wrapped delicately around the stem of her wine glass as she slipped back to the fencing team, Petra staring blankly into space next to her. Despite the amount of shots in her system, she was still sharp. The songstress narrowed her eyes until she found the perfect opportunity. _YES_.

She kicked the heel of her shoe out just far enough that Edie tripped over it, landing squarely against the senior biology major that Sylvain had reccomended.

Unfortunately, Byleth was in the middle of a tense round of beer pong, and one of the cups splashed all over her shirt as another girl slammed into her. Edelgard looked up into her ocean blue eyes, hands resting against the pong player’s firm torso and felt her face turn bright red.

If one could drop dead of embarrassment, she would have done so immediately.

She tried to apologize, but found herself unable to speak.

“I, uh—"

“Hey, it’s ok. Happens to the best of us.”

Byleth gently removed Edelgard’s hands from her body and used the other to bring the shorter student back upright. The brunette noticed the stranger’s eyes crinkled around the edges as she smiled and her heart nearly stopped.

Sweet Sothis, she had nice eyes.

Edelgard averted her eyes and coughed gently into her hand. Once composed, she faced the unfortunate pong player again, offering her most prim and practiced smile.

“I’m very sorry about your shirt, if you’d like it professionally cleaned, I’d be happy to cover the expense.”

The blue-haired senior snorted. “This old thing? This is just one of my dad’s old t-shirts that I cut up.”

She held out the fabric of the homemade crop top to show the cheap material, and Edelgard couldn’t help but notice the very… _defined_ abs underneath. Her eyes shot upward as a hand was extended toward her.

“My name is Byleth Eisner. What’s yours?”

“Edelgard Hresvelg.”

Usually when people heard that name drop, they immediately stiffened and displayed a respect founded on fear. Byleth’s face didn’t change.

“Nice to meet you, Edelgard. Want to play a fresh round of pong with me?” Her smile was extremely white and extremely inviting.

Edelgard felt like she was about to implode. She had to get herself out of there before she did or said something stupid.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go check on my friend. It was nice meeting you.”

“You too. See you around.”

Byleth’s brow furrowed in confusion as Edelgard rushed off like her tail was on fire. She ducked around the corner and pressed herself against the wall, letting down an undignified squeak in an attempt to calm herself.

It was not fine. She was going to _murder_ Dorothea.

Dorothea materialized at Edelgard’s side as if she’d been summoned. “I see you met Eisner. I told you you’d like her.”

Edelgard grabbed the collar of Dorothea’s shirt and yanked her forward so that they were nose to nose. Her face was flaming red again, and it was impossible to tell if it was from anger or embarrassment.

“Dorothea, if you _ever_ do anything like that to me again, I will throttle you to death and toss your body into the Airmid. I cannot _believe_ you did that! How dare you make me look so foolish—”

Edelgard furiously scolded Dorothea until she ran out of air. Dorothea giggled.

“I won’t, scout’s honor. I just wanted you to have a little fun. You’ve been single for how long?”

Too long was the answer.

“I understand your concern, but with your influence I have so thoroughly humiliated myself that I cannot speak with her again. Ever.” She paused and Dorothea narrowed her eyes.

“You want to see her again, don’t you?”

 _No. Maybe_. Edelgard pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please stop talking, I’m begging you.”

“Okay. Can I get you a fresh drink as an apology?”

“That would be lovely.” She needed one, desperately. A nice buzz was a good cure for social woes.

Dorothea returned with a vodka cranberry. “Made it just for you, Edie.”

Edelgard took the drink and sipped through the straw. She coughed and shook her head. She held the glass away from her body as if it was nuclear. “Well, it’s strong for sure.”

“Exactly. I’m sorry but I need to go check on Petra. She smoked with Lindhart and it didn’t agree with her.”

Edelgard nodded. “Of course. Do you need any help?”

“Nope, I got it. I’m going to have her crash on my couch so that she won’t have to ride that wave by herself.”

“Good idea.”

As Dorothea vanished, Edelgard looked into the mixed drink with resignation. _May as well_.

She downed the drink in a few deep swigs and leaned back against the wall. She felt it in her cheeks, becoming mingled with the other two cocktails she’d consumed and warming her face. A little closed-mouth smile formed on her face. _This feels nice_.

“Friend all taken care of?”

 _Well, fuck_.

“Oh, hello. Where did you come from?”

“You looked pretty spooked before. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t scare you out of the party.”

_Damn it. Count your days, Dorothea._

“Not at all, my friend just gets a bit messy when she drinks too much.” _And meddles in everyone’s business like she wants to end up in an unmarked grave._

Byleth nodded knowingly. “Which one is she?”

Edelgard pointed her finger at Dorothea, keeping eyes on her drink. Byleth took a swig of her beer before speaking.

“I’m guessing she dragged you here?”

Edelgard exhaled sharply through her nose and let out an exasperated laugh. “ _Yep_. As usual.”

“I got the same treatment from Sylvain. If I didn’t say ‘yes’ he was going to hold it over my head forever.”

Finally, a real smile. “Sounds like him.”

The two drank in silence for a while, content with quiet amidst the anarchy around them. A stray hair fell over Byleth’s right eye and Edelgard tried her best not to notice. Those deep blue pools were mesmerizing.

Edelgard hesitated before she started to speak. “I—”

She was cut off by Sylvain, Dorothea, and Ingrid yelling at the top of their lungs.

“CAMPUS POLICE ARE DRIVING AROUND, LIGHTS OFF AND EVERYBODY SHUT UP!”

Students were ushered out in small groups so as to not draw attention. In the panicked rush, Edelgard lost sight of her blue-haired companion. Before long, she was pushed out too and it was too late to go looking. She found herself far more disappointed than she expected.

With how paper thin the borrowed shirt was, Edelgard leaned against Mercedes for both warmth and stability. The student housing was concentrated heavily together, so it was the sensible choice to walk together.

Once they were at the door, they waved each other off and went inside. Edelgard’s heels clacked loudly against the stairs as she hurried to her room. She fumbled with the lock and let out a sigh of relief when the door finally swung inward. She flicked on the lights and shut the door. Alone again. Nice and quiet. She pressed her back against the cool plaster and let herself slide gently to the floor. That face floated across her eyes once more as her eyelids started to close.

This was not fine.


	5. Headaches

_ Calling from all sides, they surround all around  
You can't see a thing, but you can hear the sounds (I will walk away)  
Falling from the sky, upside-down  
To the beat of heart as your whole head pounds _

**_Pictureboard - Linkin Park_ **

_ “What the hell was that, Gloucester?” _

Lorenz held the phone away from his ear. He could handle a scolding, but he couldn’t understand why the man on the other end had to shout like a brute. 

“I told you, the police came too early. If they hadn’t been called, everything would have gone off without a hitch.”

_ “Not that, you dolt. You were supposed to lay low and you chose to offer party favors. I don’t remember that being part of the plan.” _

The purple haired man gritted his teeth. “It wasn’t...part of the plan, sir.”

_ “That’s what I thought. Step a toe out of line again, you’ll get to learn more about my special hiding places. Call me when it’s done.” _

“Of course, sir.” 

_ “I do love when you brown nose me. Chat soon.” _

The line went dead, and Lorenz finally exhaled. He saw stars as the oxygen rushed back into his brain, and he leaned heavily against the wall of the library. No one had ever said the path to power would be easy. 

Dorothea sat upright in her bed and took off her eye mask, stretching languidly like a Persian cat. As she stood up she winced, slapping a hand to the side of her head. A migraine. How lovelt.

She threw off her nightgown and slipped a tank top over her head and sweatpants over her legs. She stumbled into the living room to check on her guest.

Petra was still fast asleep on the couch wearing last night’s clothes. Dorothea looked at the clock on the wall. So far, she’d been out for 12 hours. She came closer, pressing two fingers against Petra’s neck. She still had a regular, healthy pulse.

“No more of that stuff for you, sweetie, ” she said gently.

The brunette scratched the hair on the side of her forehead, plodding into the kitchenette to make two cups of coffee. Thankfully her suitemates had washed the cups this time so there were fresh mugs to be had. She didn’t want to think of how her stomach would react to crusted remnants in that moment.

The percolator hissed and spit for a few minutes as the dark liquid slowly dripped into the glass urn. Dorothea peered around the corner to get a look at the couch. Petra’s side rose and fell peacefully, her hair hanging over her face. Dorothea had convinced her to undo her braid before she went to bed to prevent an ungodly tangle. Released, the deep purple mane fell freely across her face. A few strands were cemented to her cheek with a shimmer of drool. 

Dorothea gingerly set a green ceramic mug on a coaster in front of her sleeping friend. Despite being a legal adult, in the depth of her sleep, the star athlete looked remarkably like a toddler. Unfortunately, she’d have to wake her up soon. Adding a sleep hangover to the mix wouldn’t help Petra that much either.

A strangled shriek escaped from Dorothea’s throat as the theme song to one of her favorite TV dramas loudly blared from her room. She dashed out of the kitchen back to the bedroom, snatching her phone out of the tangled mess of sheets and blankets. She unlocked the phone and frantically looked into the common area. Miraculously, Petra hadn’t moved.

“Yes?” 

Hilda let out a theatrical sigh on her end of the line.

“Oh good, you’re awake. Did you get any sleep?”

“Yeah. Still have a nasty headache though.” 

“Well at least  _ you  _ slept. Marianne kept me up puking all night. It was  _ so gross _ , Thea, I don’t know if I can ever drink again.”

Dorothea winced. “Is she ok?”

“Yeah, she’s napping on the bathroom floor right now.”

She pictured Marianne curled up on the tile floor, clutching her stomach and ruing the day she was born.

“Hilda, how long has she been there?”

“Relax, you’re making me sound like some kind of psycho. I gave her a blanket and a pillow. When she wakes up I’ll put on Animal Planet or something. She’s just gotta pace herself next time.”

Hilda’s mental ability to dodge even the slightest amount of responsibility never ceased to amaze Dorothea.

“Well, you  _ did  _ drag her into it, Hilda.” 

“Hey, you’re supposed to be supporting me here!”

Dorothea rubbed her forehead. She hadn’t even brushed her teeth yet. It was too early for this much Hilda. 

“I always support you, Hildie. Look, I love you, but Petra is half-dead on my couch and I am in desperate need of some Advil. Can I call you back later?”

“Sure, sure, abandon me like always,” Hilda sighed deeply.

“Hilda, please-”

“Relax, I was just kidding! Go on, can’t have a D1 athlete dying on you. It’ll be really bad for our rep and I don’t want to deal with all that PR. Later!”

Dorothea practically melted in relief. She loved Hilda, she really did, but not enough to handle her right now. As a parting gift from her dear friend, Dorothea’s headache had transformed into an agonizing migraine.  _ Lovely _ .

After inhaling a handful of Advil, she dragged her feet into the common area. Petra was still out stone cold and Dorothea found herself a little jealous. She looked down at her friend’s face, giving her one more moment before she’d have to finally shake her awake. Her expression was so calm and gentle that it seemed criminal to disturb her. But the longer Petra slept, the worse she’d feel.

“Hey.”

Petra startled, nearly taking Dorothea’s eye out with a rogue elbow. 

“Huh?” She groaned, one eye stuck shut as her hair fell haphazardly across her face.

“It’s two in the afternoon, Petra. You’ve almost slept the whole day.”

Petra grumbled sleepily, brushing her hair aside as she sat upright. Used to waking up before the sun rose, the amount of light pouring into the room through the windows only served to disorient her further. She muttered something in her native tongue. 

“Me too. How about some Planet Earth?”

Petra nodded her assent. Her eyes travelled from the wall to the oak table, spotting a still steaming mug of black liquid. Coffee was a welcome sight. 

“Caves or Deserts?”

“Deserts.”

Petra’s perennial favorite. She never grew tired of the twisting sands and the mysterious creatures that hid among the dunes.

“Excellent choice.”

Petra stretched and rubbed her eyes while Dorothea straightened the blanket out across both of their legs, a high definition close up of Earth dominating the screen as she did so. Leaning their backs against the couch with mugs in hand, they focused their eyes on the TV and let their minds turn off. 

  
  


Edelgard felt a mix of schadenfreude and pity as she watched Sylvain take deep, long sips from his second cup of cold brew. She’d focused her energies on the loose cannon that had been Dorothea the previous night, but from what she was told, Sylvain had gone as hard as she did. It was an unsurprising development. The pair were two sides of the same chaotic coin.

As Sylvain lamented losing the affections of yet another nameless girl to Mercedes, the eternal listener, Edelgard found her mind and eyes wandering. The lavender irises glanced over blank faces and the familiar gaudy color of the student center’s standard issue fabric chairs. They took impartial inventory of everything in front of them until they landed on something out of place, and all her attention seized upon it.

It was 70 degrees out and Ingrid Galatea was wearing a scarf, which was exceptionally strange considering Ingrid was from Faerghus, a frigid hell in wintertime. Ingrid insisted she never got cold, and loved to tease Dorothea and Edelgard for how many layers they bundled up in every winter at Garreg Mach, always reminding them of how they wouldn’t last two seconds in a Faerghus snow. 

She turned to stare across the table. “Mercedes, what happened to Ingrid?”

Sylvain turned his head to check out what had caught Edelgard’s attention and laughed. 

“Mercedes, you dog!” Sylvain exclaimed proudly. “What an honor to be in the presence of such a legend.”

He grinned and raised up his hand for a high five, which the blonde returned with a giggle.

“I hope you didn’t leave anything too permanent,” Edelgard quipped, smirking into her tea. 

“No, nothing like that! Just a few hickies. They should be gone in a few days. Nothing a little Arnica can’t fix,” Mercedes replied cheerfully. 

“Lucky Ingrid. If it’d been me, she’d be wearing turtlenecks for weeks. I like to leave the ladies something to remember me by.” 

Edelgard gagged as Mercedes let out a chirpy laugh. “Sylvain, you’re disgusting.”

While the ginger playboy still looked rather worse for the wear, the introduction of gossip had certainly revived his indomitable spirit. Annette still looked like a poorly reanimated corpse, barely able to lift her head from the table. She hadn’t spoken a word since she’d arrived, slumped at her best friend’s side. She may have won Sink it or Drink it, but she failed miserably in a game of Beirut. 

“What about you, Edelgard? You had a lot of fun too, right?” Mercedes looked at her inquisitively with her sensitive, probing gaze. 

Her first thought was of that unfamiliar yet oh so welcome face. The beer-soaked shirt and forgiving smile. Those eyes.

“Yes, I did,” she said, giving a neutral smile. She raised the disposable cup to her lips once more, sucking it dry of the last sips of tea.

“Clearly, she didn’t have enough though,” Sylvain teased. “Next time I’ll be pouring the shots down her throat myself. Maybe if we’re lucky we’ll see the princess’ wild side.”

“Over my dead body.”

The conversation fell into old patterns. As the stories and interjections blended together, Edelgard’s mind wandered back to where it had been moments ago. A careful study of a stranger’s face. 

With the plates cleared and used cups thrown into the trash, the four of them left the cafe and started to split off towards their respective classes. As Edelgard threw her bag over her shoulder and was about to cross the threshold, she felt a hand grab her upper arm.

“Edelgard, wait.”

She turned around. “What’s up, Sylvain? You’re going to be late. Not that it’s usually a problem for you.”

“I gave her your number before she left.”

“What?”

“I saw you guys actually hit it off, so I gave Eisner your number before the police crashed. No need for any pining, miss heiress.”

“ _ Pining _ ?” Edelgard planned on saying a lot more  _ choice  _ things, but only one thought managed to complete the journey to her mouth.

“Relax, I’m just messing with you. But I wouldn’t worry about it. She seemed to like you so I’m sure she’ll text you soon enough. Take it from someone who knows women better than he knows himself.”

_ What a revolting cad. _ Edelgard spun on her heel, a biting retort poised on her tongue but Sylvain was already halfway across the hall. She touched her hand to her forehead, letting out a frustrated groan. He was so unbelievably annoying. 

Shaking her head, she stifled her frustration and started off northwards to the Hevring STEM Building, where another boring lab session awaited her. Her heels clicked along the brick, her pace brisk and purposeful as always. The pensive gray sky bleached everything a shade lighter than always, for a moment turning her pale brown locks a mysterious silver as she faded into the crowd filtering through the doors. 

He seethed, the spirit of violence settling into the flesh of his hands, permeating every cell and fibre. It burned as it spread, the anger fueling its own flames. His hands felt as though they’d swollen into mitts, giant fists that could turn a man’s skull to mush with a single blow over the crown of the head. 

It was tempting, oh so tempting. But patience was a virtue and he had it in spades, even in the throes of such a fit. The foppish rich brat could do what he liked, but bringing his filthy degeneracy anywhere near the task at hand was unforgivable. It was a mistake he would pay for, but not today. There were still more plans to lay and schemes to concoct, and his services would be required for them. 

An acid taste settled on his tongue. Having a partner was detestable, especially one who shared none of his devotion and commitment, but for now, it was necessary. To deflect suspicion and blame or to simply help get the materials in place, he would need Lorenz Gloucester for just a short while longer. That is, unless the fool made himself obsolete early. 

He smiled, leaning against the cool concrete exterior of the STEM complex.  _ What a pleasant gift that would be _ . Soon enough, he could have the undertaking all to himself. And there would be one less obstacle between them. 

It’d been a long day. The shower had undone the knots in her shoulders and washed the mud and sweat from her frame, but the fatigue still weighed heavy on her bones. For her, It was a pleasant exhaustion, the kind one finds when doing something they enjoy, but exhaustion nonetheless. Thankfully she’d limited her intake the night before, otherwise the hike to the site would have been unbearable. After eight hours in the woods hunting for samples, there was no place Byleth wanted to be more than her bed. 

Sliding into a pair of boxers and pulling a plain black tank top over her head, Byleth laid flat on top of the blankets. Her shoulder length hair dripped down her back and a drop hesitated at her clavicle. She brushed the moisture away and reached out for the phone on her nightstand.

The familiar texture of the plastic case settled against the palm of her hand as she typed in her passcode, head propped up on her left elbow. Opening up the contact, she stared at the name for a while before her thumb danced across the keyboard. 

Edelgard Hresvelg. An imposing name for someone who was barely 5”2 and pale as a china doll.

Byleth pondered what she should say. From her speech and demeanor, it was clear that the owner of the number was well-bred and well aware of it. But she hadn’t been so serious then. 

Her finger hovered over the send button for a moment, then pressed down. 

**Hey** . 

Byleth sighed and sank into the pillows. Sometimes the simplest choice was always the best.

_ Occam’s Razor _ . The theory’s definition was the last thing that crossed her mind before sleep bore down on her and carried her to the world of dreams on a foamy wave. 


End file.
